BB00124: Reply to Mirza Hadi Qazvini and Mirza Muhammad ’Ali Qazvini

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I call upon Thee when Thou knowest my innermost secret? And how can I refrain from uttering that which hath occurred to my heart when Thou hast commanded me to pray and hast promised chastisement to the proud ones in Thy Book? Thou hast said—and Thy word is the truth—that those who disdain His worship shall enter hell and others. I know not, O my God, whether my prayer before Thee is a sign of pride, for my very mention of Thee is the greatest sin. How then if sin be compounded with sin, and one standeth before Thy countenance with yet another grievous transgression?

But since it is Thy way to make manifest and Thy nature to show loving-kindness, and since Thou hast permitted Thy believing servants in the Qur’an, I call upon Thee, O my God, with a tongue shortened by its inability to praise Thee and rendered powerless before Thee to make mention of Thee. Then I call upon Thee with what Thou hast attributed to Thyself: Verily Thou art God, the Single, the One, the Eternal, the Unique, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, Whom no description of glory and oneness can capture save what is worthy of Him, Whom none can describe save with what befitteth His might and grandeur, and Whom no one knoweth as He is except Him.

O my God! I cannot reckon Thy praise, for Thou canst not be described by other than Thyself, nor be known by any save Thyself. Indeed I know, O my Lord, that Thine Essence hath severed all from knowledge of Thee, and that Thy Being hath barred all from describing Thee. Thou hast ever been what Thou art, and there was naught else beside Thee, for Thou art God. Thou hast ordained as Thou wert in eternity—creation altereth Thee not, for it is itself created, nor can invention describe Thee, for it is itself invented through origination.

Whoso claimeth Thou art known through Thine Essence hath invalidated his claim through association, for naught besides Thee can know aught save what is allotted to creation, nor be described save in terms of limitation. And whoso quieteth himself through inability to know Thee hath judged according to Thy Book as though making false claims about Thee, for Thou art not known through inability, which is itself cut off from Thee through Thy creation of its essence.

Therefore glory be unto Thee, glory be unto Thee! None hath any way unto Thee—neither through inability nor through exposition nor through proving Thy salvation in one who believeth in Thee as Thou art in Thy might and power. I bear witness before Thee that this sign in myself is but a portion of creation that neither points to Thee nor indicates Thee, nor tells of Thy Lordship nor proves Thy unity.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I have no way—neither through explanation nor through certitude nor through silence nor through extinction. I acknowledge before Thee in this my station what Thou lovest for Thyself and for all the people of creation together. None encompasseth Thy knowledge and nothing deserveth Thy mention. There is no God but Thee, the Most High, the Most Great.

And I bear witness in this Book to Muhammad and Ali and Fatimih and Hasan and Husayn and Ali and Muhammad and Ja’far and Musa and Ali and Muhammad and Ali and Hasan and Thy Proof who standeth by Thy Command—Thy blessings be upon them as Thou willest concerning them and as Thy knowledge encompasseth them—for Thou hast created them as the Manifestation of Thy Lordship and the Sign of Thy Oneness and the Station of Thy knowledge, and Thou hast raised the distinction between them and Thee save that they are Thy honored servants who speak not before Him and who act by His command.

I bear witness unto Thee, O God, my Lord, that I claim naught for them save servitude unto Thee, and none knoweth them as they are in their servitude save Thee alone, Who hast no partner. Whoso claimeth aught else regarding them hath disbelieved according to the judgment of Thy Book, for they are Thy servants who possess nothing.

They can neither benefit nor harm themselves, and they act only according to Thy will, and desire naught except what Thou hast desired, and judge not in any matter save by Thy sovereignty, and none can describe them, for naught besides them exists save by Thy leave. From the effusion of their light do they exist and worship. And I bear witness, O my God, to all truth as Thou lovest for Thyself, and to all falsehood as Thou abhorrest in Thy Book. I love not to will aught save as Thou willest. There is no power nor strength except through Thee, and Thou art God, the Lord of the worlds.

O God! Thou knowest that I have claimed nothing regarding any matter or any letter of Thy verses except the word of my own shortcoming, and I have not fabricated anything against Thee. I have completed my proof to all on earth with a single verse, and sufficient art Thou as a witness over me.

O God! Thou knowest what the oppressors have fabricated against me regarding Thy words. I have neither written nor spoken concerning any letter of my proof to the people except in their own tongue and according to their rules, save what proceeded from me by virtue of Thy grace without regard to limitations and what the people infer from established ways. Therefore, O God, set right my affair as Thou willest and however Thou willest, and suffice against Thy servants who desire naught but to extinguish Thy light. Deal with them as befitteth Thee. Thou knowest all things and nothing is hidden from Thee in the heavens or on earth. Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.

O God! Thou knowest I desired not to answer anyone according to the way of the people, but since the month is Thy month and the servants are Thy guests, and there came to me a decisive letter from two of Thy servants who have fulfilled Thy covenant and feared Thy justice—and Thou knowest they are leaves from the tree of Thy name, the All-Bountiful—therefore, O God, set right what they desire regarding Thy verses and aid them through the glances of Thy favor. Thou bestowest upon whom Thou willest as Thou willest, and withholdest from whom Thou willest as Thou willest. None can resist Thy will or reverse Thy decree. Thou art powerful over all things.

They have asked of me certain verses, and Thou knowest, O my God, that I have answered them with allusion in verses indicating their meaning. Thou hast indeed explained the decree of all this in what is now revealed in those verses. Thou art witness over all things.

O my God! Thou hast ordained for those who desire the decree of questioning for those who were foreordained to answer in the particles of creation at that scene, and Thou hast made obligatory the pilgrimage to the House for those who are able to find a way thereto.

And Thou, O my God, hast granted leave unto Thy servants who are assured in faith to observe the ordinance of mubahalah at the time of the manifestation of Thy Word and the proclamation of Thy oneness. There is no doubt that Thou art present in every gathering, and that Thou hearest, from every thing, whatsoever is intended in the turning of faces toward Thee. Thou hast made clear the ruling of this matter through the tongue of Thine intimate and near ones—those who are never heedless of Thy path for the blink of an eye, and unto whom all submit—that the hour of mubahalah [mutual execration] is made manifest at the appearance of Thy Word and the declaration of Thy unity.

And again—there is no doubt that Thou art present in every assembly, and that Thou hearest, from every thing, whatsoever it purposeth in turning toward Thy countenance. Thou hast set forth the ordinance of this matter through the tongue of Thine near ones, those who never for a moment turn away from Thy straight path, and all are resigned unto them—that the time appointed for mubahalah before Thee extendeth from the moment when the white thread dawneth upon the horizon of darkness until the rising of the sun in the Dayspring of Splendor.

Whosoever, then, desireth to perform this ordinance is commanded that he interlace his fingers with his fingers, and then utter, in Thy presence:

O God! If such a one has denied the truth and affirmed falsehood, then afflict him with a reckoning from heaven or with a punishment from Thee. And he recites it seventy times:

“Verily, Thou dost establish truth and nullify falsehood before Thy Lord, though the idolaters be averse.”

O my God! I complain unto Thee of my grief. The Christians were willing to engage in mutual imprecation before Thee, yet that people would not consent to this even after reading that decree in my verses. Therefore, O God, judge between us with truth, for Thou art the Best of Judges.

O God! Thou knowest the decree concerning what was asked of me, which I mentioned before Thy face. There is no doubt that the greatest of all acts of obedience is to affirm Thy decree after attaining certainty. The nearest is nearest in all things. O Lord, establish him upon the straight path, for Thou art the Strong, the Mighty.

I bear witness that Thy decree concerning this trial and the tribulation that befell the questioner is written in Thy Book, where Thou didst say—and Thy word is the truth:

“No misfortune befalleth on earth nor in your own souls, but it is in a Book before We bring it into being—that is truly easy for God.”

O God! I know that Thou dost not love the recitation of verses by those who believe not in Thy Word, for they are a people gone astray. Thou hast permitted those who are compelled in any matter, for Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O God! Thou hast created the Gates through the light of Thy might and established their station below that of the Prophets and Successors through Thy power. They are Thy servants who desire naught except what Thou desirest for them. Thou knowest all things. Thou hast created me and recorded my decree in a Book with Thee:

“God doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the Mother of the Book.”

O God! Thou knowest what they both asked in their letter regarding the decree of walking toward Thee. Therefore, O my God, help them to take from the verses of the Two Sanctuaries, for it is a clear Book of truth. Inspire them, O my Lord, with words of protection for themselves, for Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.

O God! Thou knowest the decree of testimony before Thee. Therefore, O God, inspire Thy believing servants in their souls at the station of fear, without openly proclaiming it. Apart from that, it is permissible for whoever seeketh Thee. Verily, Thou art Kind and Merciful to Thy assured servants.

O God! The servants are Thy servants, standing at Thy gate and seeking refuge in Thy presence. Therefore, O God, grant victory to whoever desireth Thee in supporting Thy religion and Thy chosen ones, for Thou art the Generous, the Forbearing.

O God! Thou knowest that I have indicated in that Book all that they asked of me with a firm and perfect explanation from Thy decree. I sent the garment to the one who desired it, so O God, make that garment to be the garment of Thy glory and protection for him. Thou knowest that today I have clothed it with a leaf from the First Tree, after knowing that the path does not descend from me and the bird cannot be protected. Therefore, O God, judge with justice between Thy servants and forgive whoever repenteth and turneth unto Thee, for Thou art the Generous, the Gracious. Nothing in the heavens or earth is too great for Thee, and Thou hast power over all things.

I seek Thy forgiveness, O my God, for what I said in that Book, for whatever sin hath proceeded from me, I compare it not with any sin. Here am I, seeking Thy forgiveness and turning unto Thee. Forgive me and whomever Thou lovest as Thou willest, for Thou art possessed of great grace. May God’s blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.